The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-14
Bear VS. Mule.

Ike Garvey and Eph Dunham, bIaw
woodeboppers of the upper Dehigh re-
gion. took team Uf mules the other day
and began to draw railroad ties from
the woods out to the main road. Along
ia the afternoon they let the mules stand
IN the wood road while they went ahead
to cut down lot of saplings, Presently
they saw black bear trampl1ng through
the snow in the rear of the sleigh.
When the bear reached the sleigh he
turned to the right, walked past 1t
and shifted at the heels of the old mule.
The mule who had appeared to be
sleeping when the bear waddled up,
stuck up his ears at once raised his right
hind foot like flash, and gave the bear
a terrific kick in the neck. The bear
tumbIed over in the snow, partially
stunned by the blow, the sharp cslks of
the mules shoe having cut and bruised
the flesh directly behind the right ear.
Dunham and Garvey laughed heartily
at the mules peculiar conduct, for be
had always been a very docile animal,
and ran down to the team at once. In
the meantime the bear Lad recovered
from the kick and got on bis feet again,
and was looking around to see where he
was and what had hit him. Ihe mule
turned his head and caught a glimpse
of the bear just as GaIvey and Durham
| came down to the sleigh. The sight
seemed to enrage the mule, for he be-
MI cd
! forward and tried to yank himself away
| from his mate. Every motion indicated
| that he wanted to be let loose on the
bear.
'Sav we onharness him and let him
| fight the bear if he wants to- remarked
! Garvey.
"All right" said Durham, ''we'll dc
it."
Dunham then stepped to the mule
head and unsnapped the lines. In anot' =
or second the hame strap and the belly
band were unbuckled, and the mule
| slipped from under the harness with
nothing oh except the headstall and col
lar. Then the mule turned straight
around and made for the bear vii b
all his might. He lunged forward with
so much force and speed that he went
right over the BEARS back before be
stopped. The bear did not attempt to
get away, but stood upon his launches
and was ready to fight as soon as the
mule turned upon him.
The mule struck at the bear savagslN
with both forward feet, but the beGI
lodged aud thus escaped the blow.
Then the bear rushed at the mule, utter
ing grunts of anger as he did 30, and
tried to strike him in the breast. The
mule, however, showed more anger and
pluck than the bear did, and as the lat
ter came toward him, he struck the beal
on the shoulder with one Of his sharI
caIks, and the bear, grOaning with pain
from the blow, backed away. The mule
quickly followed up the advantage h'
bad gained. And the bear tumbleC
backward over log, making the snow
fly. The mule leaped over the log AM
struck the bear on the back with boil
forefeet before he had time to get up
but he paid dearly for it, for the bea
]
mules foreleg between his jaws aid bi
it badly.
Dunham and Garvey. who had tn
utmost confidence in the mules abilit
TO conquer the bear, kept at safe dis
tance and watched the fight closely
While the bear was trying to crush th
bone in the mules leg the mule bit tn
BEARS ear and made the blood rnD.
moment later the mule succeeded il
? yanking his leg from the BEARS jaws
pranced around in the snow after he ha
done so and appeared to be madder tha
ever. Then the two infuriated animal
, came together again. AS the mule rails
= ed his foot to strike, the bear spran
under Lis body, knocked his hind leg
- from undeI him, and tumbled him owe
on his side. The mule scrambled to hi
feet in a second, rushed up to the bear
and gave him such tremendous thum
on the nose, that it made the bear stsg
ger and roar. He was not ready to retir
from the conflict, though, and as b
made another effort to strike the mul
and the blood spurted from his nose
The bear again attacked the mule, whc
kicked him in the jaw and laid him o1t
Before he codld get on his feet agai
the mule had begun to stamp him wiz
his sharp calks, The bear struggle
desperately to get away from the mule
but was unable to do so. Garvey ran u
and killed the bear with an ak, and pu
an end to his sufferings.
Points of POIiteness.